Taking the Jungfrau train to the top of Europe

By Sabs Leave a Comment

When we were planning our trip to Switzerland, we really wanted to see the Bernese Oberland region. This region is located near the middle of Switzerland and we heard that it is one of the most beautiful regions in the country. As we did our research, we came across the Jungfraujoch or the Top of Europe as one of the must-see sights in this region. We immediately decided that taking a trip on the Jungfrau Train would be an excursion we would have to make!

The Jungfrau is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps. It is high at 4,158 meters above sea-level and is considered an alpine attraction with a viewing point at an altitude of 3,454 meters.

How to get to Jungfrau Interlaken

Getting to Jungfrau is relatively easy. There are two options using the Bernese Oberland Railway system, namely,

taking the Jungfrau train from Interlaken Ost station to Lauterbrunnen or
taking the Jungfrau train from Interlaken Ost station to Grindelwald

jungfrau train - train from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg — Train from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg

From both of these points, you need to change to the Wengernapl cable car or train to go to Kleine Scheidegg. From Kleine Scheidegg, you can take the Jungfrau cogwheel train to Jungfraujoch or the Top of Europe. This is the only way to get to the Top of Europe.

We were staying in Wengen, which was one of the little towns near Jungfrau. After taking the train from Wengen station, we arrived at Kleine Scheidegg about 30 minutes later. This was a train journey with spectacular views of the mountains.

jungfrau train - On the way to Kleine Scheidegg — Views on the way to Kleine Scheidegg

From Kleine Scheidegg we boarded the Jungfrau train and reached the Jungfraujoch station about 35 minutes later. This journey was in a tunnel most of the way, but there were a few times the train was outside revealing beautiful mountain and cloud views. It was a misty day when we went up with the Jungfrau train which added a mysterious ambiance to our trip.

jungfrau train - headrest — Jungfrau train – headrest

The Jungfrau train is very comfortable and seemed newer than some of the other Swiss trains we had used. Look at the detail on the headrests… no wonder the tickets are so expensive!

We had read somewhere that the Jungfrau train station is the highest train station in the world! This was easy to believe! Our ears felt blocked a few times the higher we went up the mountain!

Activities once we disembarked at Jungfrau train station

jungfrau train - statue of Adolph Guyer Zeller — Statue of Adolph Guyer Zeller

Once we disembarked and entered the main building, there were several things to see and do. The first was a statue of Adolf Guyer-Zeller, the railway entrepreneur responsible for the establishment of the Jungfrau train.

The Sphinx Observatory

jungfrau train - Sphinx Observatory — Sphinx Observatory

From here we took a lift up to the Sphinx Observatory, which means going up another 117 meters. On a clear day, you will have a 360° view from the Spinx Observatory. When we arrived, it was snowing outside and our views were limited. It was the first time both of us experienced falling snow and it was freezing and surprisingly dark! We could not see much at all!

jungfrau train - Spinx observatory view — View from the Spinx observatory

The Alpine Sensation

The Alpine Sensation is a moving walkway with images, lights, and music. It connects the hall below the Sphinx observatory to the Ice Palace.

jungfrau train - Alpine Sensation display in dome — Alpine Sensation display in dome

The Alpine Sensation was amazing. We loved the exhibits on display and the way the colors had been used.

jungfrau train - Alpine Sensation small display — Small display in the Alpine Sensation

There were images and photos depicting the story of the Jungfrau along the walls, highlighted by different color lights. It was a nice way to learn anything!

The Ice Palace

jungfrau train - penguin sculpture — Penguin sculpture in the Ice Palace

The Ice Palace was a hall with ice floors and many ice sculptures to admire. Take note and be careful! When you enter the Ice Palace, the floor is extremely slippery. My partner was too excited and slipped. He landed on his back but fortunately had not sustained any injuries. There were security personnel around to assist if anyone injured themselves on the ice. Just walk slowly and carefully and you will be fine!

jungfrau train - ice age sculpture — Ice age sculpture in the Ice Palace

It was my first time in a place with ice sculptures and I found them done really well. The level of detail of each ice sculpture was exceptional.

The Grosser Aletsch Glacier

From the Ice Palace, we went out into the snow and hoped to view the Grosser Aletsch glacier and the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was snowing heavily here and we struggled to see ahead of us. It gave us an idea of what winter in Switzerland will be like (although I am sure it is a hundred times more intense and cold than what we experienced).

jungfrau train - Glacier viewing point — View at the Glacier viewing point

What was interesting was how cold and full of snow the top of the mountain was, but just that morning we had been walking around without jackets and with short sleeved t-shirts! It was a completely different season on the top of Jungfraujoch than in Wengen from where we had traveled that morning!

From here we took the Jungfrau train back to Kleine Scheidegg. The weather seemed to have taken a turn for the worse. So even though the visibility was quite bad for us, it was still better than for the people only going up the Jungfraujoch as we were descending.

Things we didn’t do at the Jungfraujoch

jungfrau train - cloudy view of kleine scheidegg — Cloudy view of Kleine Scheidegg

If we ever get the chance to go back to Jungfraujoch, we would love to try the following:

In Summer, you can go sledding, skiing or snowboarding in the Snow Fun Park at an additional cost. We have never done any of these activities, so any or all would be fun!
There is a Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven at Jungfraujoch, where you can learn about the history of chocolate as well as how it is made. Who does not love Lindt chocolate? We each received a free Lindt ball for just walking past!
You can hike across the glacier to the Mönchsjoch hut in about an hour. This should be quite an adventure!

Tips for visiting Jungfraujoch

From our trip we learned a few lessons:

Dress in layers – this will allow you to add or remove layers as the temperature changes. Inside the building, it was quite warm, but the Ice Palace was cold and when we went out to the see the Glacier, it was freezing!

Dress in layers when visiting the Jungfraujoch - the temperature changes significantly between the inside and outside - layers allows you go be comfortable wherever you go Click To Tweet

Check the weather before you go. This website gives live views of the weather at Jungfraujoch.
We left a bit late as it was a rainy day and we were hoping for the weather to get better. It did not. In my opinion, take the earliest train you can. It should not be as busy as later when everyone has woken up and had breakfast.
The train journey from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg is not covered by any of Swiss rail passes and has to be purchased separately.

Our view on taking the trip with the Jungfrau train

We thoroughly enjoyed the train trip and the activities at the top of the mountain. We definitely recommend visiting the Jungfraujoch if you visit Switzerland. It is a pricey excursion, but there is something for everyone at the top of the mountain. At least, unlike the other mountains in Switzerland, there are other activities to do if the weather is bad and you don’t have spectacular views.

Have you been to Jungfraujoch? Did you enjoy the experience? Have you visited any of the other mountains in Switzerland, such as the one in Zermatt?

The night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is now just a memory

By Sabs 34 Comments

I was sad to discover from Yun Qing’s blog that the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is no longer available to travelers in the region.

I used this train while visiting Malaysia and Singapore a while back. Thinking about the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore makes me smile. It was one of those bitter-sweet travel memories where not everything went according to plan.

Why we used the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore

During this trip, we visited Penang and then spent a few days in Kuala Lumpur. Singapore, one of my favorite cities in the world, was our next destination. After considering the various transport options, we had decided that the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore would be the best choice for us. The one significant advantage of the night train was that it saved us from booking a hotel room and we would waste no time traveling – what could be better than going to sleep in one country and waking up in your next destination the next morning?

Being told disappointing news

We checked out of our hotel the morning and spent a day sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is a country with high temperatures. By the end of the day when we made our way to the KL Sentral Station, we were not only tired but also hot and sweaty. We were looking forward to our premier class cabin on the train. We had booked premier class which had been affordable, even considering our weak currency. According to our research, our cabin would have a small bathroom with a shower, toilet and a basin. I was looking forward to having a lovely shower and feeling refreshed for the rest of our journey to Singapore.

This was not meant to be.

Night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore - waiting area in KL Sentral — Waiting area in KL Sentral Station

As we were waiting at KL Sentral Station, the customer services announced that there would be no premier class carriage with the night train. All premier class passengers’ tickets would change to economy class. We would get a refund for the price differences once they arrive in Singapore.

When we had done our research before our trip, the premier cabins had showers. The economy class carriage had no showers, just toilets. I was disappointed.

There was not much we could do. We decided to just use the economy class tickets.

How it turned out

Apart from not having a shower, everything was comfortable and clean. We had bunk beds with curtains.

Our beds were comfortable and a while after leaving Kuala Lumpur, the conductor switched the lights off and we tried to sleep.

We stopped at a few places along the way. People boarded and left each time. As I am a light sleeper, these movements woke me up a few times. My partner, a deep sleeper, slept through to Singapore.

We arrived in Singapore at the Woodlands Train Checkpoint early the next morning, took a train to our hotel and still had the full day left to explore this beautiful city. It still worked out perfectly!

How did we find the overall experience?

Overall, using the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was a pleasant experience. Given a chance, I would have used it again, so I am sad that travelers between these two countries can no longer use this as a transport choice.

Have you ever used the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore? Or have you used other transport options between these two cities? Share your experience in the comments!

Things to do in Lucerne: the Luzern city train

By Sabs Leave a Comment

One of my all-time favourite trips was my solo trip to Switzerland. I spent the first two days in Switzerland exploring Zurich and surrounds and then part of the second day exploring Basel. Then I had to do a bit of work for a few days (the actual purpose of the trip:-)). Afterwards, I decided to spend two days in Luzern (the English spelling is Lucerne) as there were many things to do in Lucerne for someone like me who was enjoying her first trip to Switzerland.

Arriving in Luzern

Torbogen Luzern in front of the train station in Luzern – the only wall left from the train station that burned down in 1971

After arriving at the Bahnhofplatz or train station in Luzern, I quickly made my way to my hotel and checked-in to my room. I quickly freshened up and decided that since I still had a few hours of daylight left, I could do some exploring of Lucern.

Finding the blue Luzern city train

It was a sunny day and I decided to walk along a street following Lake Luzern. After a short while, I noticed the blue city train of Luzern outside the Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne. I went inside to enquire about the tickets for the Luzern city train and heard that it was only about 5 minutes until the next ride starts. This was exciting news! I had seen the city train on the website when I was doing my research on Luzern, and it had been one of my listed things to do in Lucerne but had not been sure that I would take it. The city train gives a good overview of Luzern and may help me plan my explorations the next day. Luzern does not have red sightseeing buses, so this was going to be the next-best thing.

The Luzern city train ride

After 5 minutes the city train left the hotel and started driving around. Everyone received earphones. I selected English for the commentary language.

Scenery along the way

The first thing I noticed was that there was suddenly music playing and it was not the type of music I would associate with the Swiss. It wasn’t Swiss people, but the gipsies were trying to make a few bucks from a musical performance.

We went past an old jail building and was driving alongside the old city walls. We eventually came to the end of the old city wall where there was a colossal tower.

After turning the corner at the large tower, we could see Hotel Gutsch on the top of a mountain. It looks like a castle and according to the commentator the hotel had its furnicular in the olden days to get guests and their luggage to the top. Apparently, Queen Elizabeth from England has stayed at this hotel before.

We then crossed a bridge and could see the Spreuerbrucke bridge in the distance. Behind it was a mosque and even further away one could see the snow-capped mountains.

Along the way, we saw many beautiful buildings and fountains.

One thing that amazed me about Switzerland was that people didn’t lock their bicycles. If you didn’t lock anything you owned up in South Africa, it would be stolen in a few minutes. Clearly, Switzerland is much safer than South Africa.

We also passed the Old Swiss House, a restaurant in Luzern. I loved the building and the character it has.

And we went past the Matthauskirche (Matthew’s church?).

Worth it?

All too soon the 40-minute drive ended, and we were back at the hotel. The Luzern City Train is one of the things to do in Luzern – taking the train ride had been worth it. It gave me some insight into the Lucerne attractions and the commentary provided some historical background. I would recommend it to anyone who visits Lucerne for the first time.

Taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

By Sabs Leave a Comment

When we were planning our trip to Europe, I also wanted to include London as I had only been there once before and it was just a quick in-and-out for work meetings. To visit London, we had a few options from the Netherlands. One, we could fly, but this required a few hours as you need to be at the airport at least an hour before a flight, you pay extra for the amount of luggage we had and would have needed to spend a night in a hotel. Two, we could take the Eurostar train from Amsterdam to London, but it was expensive and we would still need to spend a night in a hotel. So, we considered options for taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK.

Reasons we decided to take the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

We decided to do the Stenaline Ferry from Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands to Harwich in the United Kingdom. There were a few reasons why this seemed like the best option for us. Firstly, it was not that expensive since it included transport, overnight accommodation, and breakfast (optional). Secondly, neither of us had ever slept on a boat/ferry so that it would be a new and exciting experience for us. Thirdly, getting to Hoek of Holland to take the ferry and to get from Harwich to London were not that expensive either. Fourthly, since it was an overnight ferry it would not reduce our sightseeing time in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom. Overall, the ferry option would save us money and give us a new experience. So, that was it! The ferry was the way to go!

Getting to Hook of Holland to board the ferry

After spending some time in Amsterdam sightseeing, we took the train from Amsterdam Centraal to Hook of Holland. We never had to change at any of the stations along the way. The whole journey took about 90 minutes, and we arrived at Hoek van Holland with time to spare.

When we arrived in the terminal, there was already a queue forming in front of the customs counter. It was another hour before we were allowed to board. Boarding was therefore 30 minutes later than what we had been informed it would be. The customs officials were the most thorough I have ever encountered – they went through my passport in detail and had questions about all the countries I was visiting on this trip.

Our cabin where we had to spend the night while taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

But, we finally arrived on board just to realize that we had been given a family cabin instead of a normal double cabin. This was not something to complain about! Since we had a whole day of sightseeing in Amsterdam, we were quite tired and had quick showers to freshen up before departure. We wanted to be on deck for the departure.

The bathroom was tiny, but the shower was surprisingly nice. It was small, but the water was hot. The bathroom included towels and soap.

On-board the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

After freshening up, we went out to explore the ferry. It had many restaurants, a cinema, a casino and so forth. We decided to have traditional Dutch apple pie and a jug of beer before venturing onto the deck. It was a bit strange when we were given ice-cold apple pie. The waiter told us that this was the way the Dutch eat it. I love hot apple pie, but when in Rome…. It was tasty, but I think it would have tasted even better warmed up! The beer was refreshing, though!

We thought of watching the departure from inside, but the ferry’s windows were quite dirty. Dirty windows and taking photos would just not have worked out.

Departing from Hook of Holland

We finally went out onto the deck, each with a glass of beer. Man, it was freezing outside. Lucky we had on warm jackets, but I suppose since the ship was so high up it was colder than outside on land. It had also become quite windy and was quite unpleasant outside.

But this was a unique experience, and we stood outside while departing. Departure was around 22:30. It is pretty amazing how big such a ferry is and how many vehicles, containers and trucks could fit on it. It was also not as noisy as I had expected and we sailed on smoothly!

After 30 minutes on deck, we could no longer handle the coldness and went back to our cabin for the night. The mattresses were comfortable, and we slept soundly.

The next morning

The next morning we got up at 4:00 for breakfast, but when we got to the breakfast buffet it looked like we had slept late – many passengers were up and about already. Some had even brought their suitcases and backpacks down already.

The breakfast spread was varied and sufficient. There was everything from fruit, cereals, fruit juices, coffee, eggs, sausages, different types of bread, croissants, cheeses, etc.

After breakfast, we hurried up to our cabin to get our suitcases. Only then did we realize why the other people had taken their suitcases down earlier. There were two lifts only – they were small, and the staircases were narrow, making it quite difficult for people to pass each other on the stairs. Something to keep in mind for the next time!

Arriving at Harwich Port

We arrived at Harwich Port around 6:30 in the morning. We were told that buses will pick us up to take us to the UK customs building. It went smoothly, and finally, we arrived in Harwich.

Since it was Sunday and the day the UK does railroad maintenance, the trains were not available. Buses were available. I was a bit disappointed about not being able to take the train, but the bus drivers were so friendly and such good drivers that the bus trip was quite comfortable.

English countryside as seen from the bus

Getting to London

It took about 2 hours from Harwich to Liverpool Street Station in London. We were ready for our London adventure to begin!

In hindsight, I still think taking the ferry was the best decision for us at the time. It was comfortable, and we didn’t need to rush to get to the airport or spend another night in a hotel in London which would have cost us much more. I would do it again if I needed to go from the UK to Amsterdam, vice versa. Going to bed in one country and waking up in another country works for me!

What train travel in Malaysia is like – Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth

By Sabs 12 Comments

When we wanted to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, there were flights available, and they were not too expensive either. The flight from Kuala Lumpur Airport to Penang International Airport only takes an hour and cost on average about $75 and upwards. The train journey takes about 6 hours and only cost about $15 for a premier class seat! Take into consideration the fact that we could walk around, will have spacious and comfy seats that could turn 360 degrees and this was a no-brainer for us. Besides we had been flying twice during the past two days and was a bit tired of planes.

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Train travel in Malaysia: Read about our journey from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth and Penang. — Train travel in Malaysia

I love taking trains when I travel. There is something magical about sitting back and watching the scenery passing by. Train travel is a bit slower than flying though but has other advantages that flying does not have. We did not know what train travel in Malaysia would be like, but considering the low price we thought it deserved a try.

So, what is train travel in Malaysia like?

Our journey to Butterworth started at the KL Sentral. We had a bit of time to kill and decided to have lunch there while we wait. There were quite a few restaurants available, mostly fast foods such as Burger King and KFC. There were also a small little convenience shop and several bookstores. Near the waiting area there was a small flea market selling toys and clothes.

Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station flea market

Train travel in Malaysia seems quite popular and we could perfectly understand this considering how cost-effective it seemed.

Train travel in Malaysia: The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth

The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth was an enjoyable one. Although hubby and I had seats across from each other, the seats could turn around so we could still enjoy each other’s company. Although not a luxury train by western standards, we were very comfortable. My only complaint would be that there was no wifi available and also no power points! My power bank came in useful at this point!

Premier Class Train from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth

Scenery along the way

The scenery alongside the track was lush and green.

Malaysia looked like quite a big country with lots of farmable lands.

Train travel in Malaysia: More scenery along the way from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth

During our train trip, we received free banana bread and bottled water. The banana bread was lovely and moist and hit the spot right away. Other meals are also offered such as burgers and sandwiches – a trolly came past us twice during the trip.

We arrived in Butterworth around 22:00. By this time it was dark, and we could not see much of Butterworth Station itself, but it appeared quite small.

From Butterworth Station taxis are easily available, they wait right outside the station. Alternatively, there is a ferry from Butterworth to Penang, it leaves not far from Butterworth station and is quite cheap at about RM1.20 per adult. From the Penang side, there are taxis and also a bus (Bus 101 that goes all the way to Batu Ferringhi).

How to get to Jungfrau Interlaken

Activities once we disembarked at Jungfrau train station

The Sphinx Observatory

The Alpine Sensation

The Ice Palace

The Grosser Aletsch Glacier

Things we didn’t do at the Jungfraujoch

Tips for visiting Jungfraujoch

Our view on taking the trip with the Jungfrau train

Why we used the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore

Being told disappointing news

How it turned out

How did we find the overall experience?

Arriving in Luzern

Finding the blue Luzern city train

The Luzern city train ride

Scenery along the way

Worth it?

Reasons we decided to take the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

Getting to Hook of Holland to board the ferry

Our cabin where we had to spend the night while taking the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

On-board the ferry from the Netherlands to the UK

Departing from Hook of Holland

The next morning

Arriving at Harwich Port

Getting to London

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy from the link, I may earn a small income at no extra cost to you. For more information, please refer to my privacy policy.

So, what is train travel in Malaysia like?

Train travel in Malaysia: The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth

Scenery along the way

Thank you!